A charging handle for a firearm enables a shooter to retract and lock a bolt carrier in a firearm receiver to chamber a first round from a new magazine while in a firing position and without significantly moving the firearm from a sighted position. In addition, a charging handle facilitates the clearing of a misfired round, jammed ammunition, and bolt malfunctions, all while the shooter remains in a shooting position. Also, if the bolt does not retract sufficiently following firing, such as when shooting low recoil ammunition, the charging handle enables the shooter to manually chamber the next round.
What is needed is a charging handle that allows for ambidextrous operation, serving right-handed and left-handed users, serving on firearms that include rear-extending optical sights, and serving to make operation easy in any firing position.